05/08/08 Time to protect against West Nile virus

Washington Ag May 8, 2008 Washington's state veterinarian says horse owners should take advantage of the availability of vaccines to prevent West Nile virus, a potentially fatal disease in horses. Mike Louisell, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Agriculture, says now would be a good time for horse owners to get those vaccinations taken care of. Louisell: "Since it does take two doses of vaccine, four to six weeks apart. So immunity isn't achieved until about five weeks after the second vaccine. Now, we haven't had any cases of West Nile virus in animals or humans in 2008, but you never know when that first case is going to come along." Last year Washington had eight cases of horses with West Nile virus, all in Yakima County. Seven of those cases were horses that were not vaccinated and one did not have an up-to-date vaccine. Infected mosquitoes carry West Nile virus so Louisell says measures that reduce mosquito populations are also recommended. Louisell: "You can do such things as removing standing water from your yards and barns and changing water in troughs and bird baths that could be a source for mosquito breeding." West Nile is fatal in about one-third of all horses that contract it. I'm Bob Hoff.